Operating and control lever and the like



i? 3U, EQSU JEFFERY 2,509,271

OPERATING AND CONTROL LEVER AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 51, 1947 sShee'ts-Sheet 1 INVENTflj-T fiaro/dio/wa d efffl ATTORNEY May 39, 1950H. E. JEFFERY 2,509,271

OPERATING AND CONTROL LEVER AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 31, 1947 3Sheets-Sheet 2 )NVENTOH A TTOFFNEY y 1950 H. E. JEFFERY 295095271OPERATING AND CONTROL LEVER AND THE LIKE Filed Jan. 31, 1947 3Sheets-Sheet 3 m ///y/ r w 88 I m! WNWMAM L1; Mlllllflllllwlllllillhlwlllllm H I22 0 FIG. /0. M YEN raw ATTORNEY Patented May 30, 1950STATES "PATENT OFFICE QRERA'LING AND CONTROL LEVER AND THE LIKE -Wales,Australia Application January 31, 1947,, Serial No..72 5,519 I Au li rcfifi. 19 6 --19 Claims.

This invention relates to locking means for operating and control leversand the like, and -more' particularly to locking means for such levers--which-are-required-tobe firmlyheld at any selected position withintheirrange of adjustment. *llixamples-of-such levers are brakedever-s,clutch levers, hand levers for operating steam regulator valves andcontrol levers for variablespeed and reversibleelectric motors.

Levers of the "type referred to :are usually mounted :for rotation abouta "pivotal axis :near .onelend. (As a.rule,-stops-are.providedzto limittheangular movement oftheilever, one end of the -.-angular rangeof levercmovernent representing an .open aor .fon 1 position, and rthe oppositelimit position ;;representing a ;.fully -wc1osed or 013? position. Onecommonly usedmethodior locking qthe lever 1 at one Or more intermediatepositions between the limit pesitionsisato provide a-notcheduadrantbraclget,-ratohetl or the likeffixed to the Ebase on which thelever :is pivoted, and to prowide a .springeloaded pawl -or spur on tthe -lever which is adapted to engage the .teeth of the notchedquadrant. bracket. or the like. The pawl .or spur-may be operatedbyanpropriate linkwork ,to .allow it ;to .be disengaged from .the notchedbracket or theJike when ii-r 151: desiredto shiftthe .control-lever tosome otherposition.

.known ,rnethod -for docking the .lever yat ,jntermediate positienssuffers from the .disad- ,vantage that, although it .gives definiteconstant halting positions for-the ,lever, -.the number of ,saidpositions. f SJimited ,to thenumberof notches or teeth which mayconveniently bebmvided in h uadrant bracketc t l k ;A Lfurth nkncwn mthod for lockin z ata y9nep a numb o desired po ions em- ,plo sa d scclutc betw e tbe lev r-a t e bas ,towhich it ispivoted. The disc clutchcomprises tw seri s b in erm sh d c ul h n m t ,lpla s. .the p ates .ofone series. being se u d t the base, and the platesof ,the other. seriesbeing ,securediiothedever. J'hemetah plates are noram l ysp unaaway fromeach o h tande rela ve. rotat on o t wo serie n ,plates with respecttoeach other. "The plates may :be-locked n any d sired pos ti b relea a pi s ,loa'dedplate which or esth itwo. se ies ,o pl t against ,each other,over their jfull surface area,

, r substantially theiniull surface, area. This construction provides anunlimitednumber of 1 pos- .si l .halt nsnositi ns 1. th le e .bu ,..isex- .n ns v decon tru t. and,require l r enumb )otthinmetal platesineach series of clutchplates.

";It i s,1theref ore,,an objectpfthis invention to provide an improvedcontrollever which:may be locked at anydesired point withinits range ofangular movement, and-which remains, when so locked at theselectedposition without slipping,

until such time as'it'is intentionally moved from that selectedposition.

*It is a furtherobject of this invention to provide a control lever ofthe typeemploying a disc clutch for locking the control lever in anyselected position within its range of angular movement which is simpler"and less expensiv to construct than the known-types of controllever,and

which requires considerably fewer thin metal plates in the two series ofclutch discs than the known construction.

It is afurther object of this invention to :providea control lever of'the typeemployinga disc clutch for locking the controllever-in anyselected position within its range of angular movement in whichthe twoseries of clutch discs are locked by means of pressure appliedat onlyone or a few points on the discs.

"The present inventioni particularly suited for useinthe joints ofartificial limbsgproviding a simp1e,-robust, and effective means for:locking portions of the'limb, which are rotatable :with

respect "to each other, at any selected relative position. The discclutches according to this invention may, forexample, be employed atelbow joints, wrist joints, and finger joints of artificial limbs.

Itis accordingly, a further object of'this invention to provide improvedartificial limbs employing the locking means of thepresent invention atsome or all of-the joints of=the limb.

The-invention initsmost general form comprises improved means forlockingrelatively rotatable members inany desired relative position comprisinga stack of substantially parallel plates secured to one member, a secondstack of substantially parallel plates securedtothe second memberysaidstacks-of plates'being interleaved over a comparatively small area.adjacent tothe edge of each stack, an'd means'for applying pressure toor removing pressure from said inter- 1eaved-area to prevent or allowrelativetrotation of said stacks of plates.

Some preferred forms of the invention will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a control lever, e. g. a motor car brakeleverincorporatinglocking means according to "the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged :vertical section on the Fig. 3 is an explodedView showing discs, plates, and spacers employed in the invention.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a control lever rotatable through 360 ormore relative to an associated bracket and incorporating locking meansaccording to the invention.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of an elbow joint for an artificial armincorporating locking means according to the invention.

Fig. '7 is a similar view but with the forearm in a different position.

Fig. 8 is a plan view corresponding to the elevation shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is an elevation of an artificial finger incorporating lockingmeans according to the invention.

Fig. 10 is a section on the line IIlIii of Fig. 9.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, II is a fixed bracket and I2 is a controllever. The control lever is in two parts I3 and i4 secured together e.g. by screws I-5 and I6. A bolt I I having a cuphead I9 and a squareshank !9 passes through a hole 20 in the bracket II and a nut 2I isscrewed onto a reduced diameter cylindrical end of the shank I9.

The head I8 is spaced from a face 22 of the bracket I I by means of acylindrical bearing member 23, integral with the shank l9, a cylindricalbearing member 24 slidable but non-rotatable on the shank I9 and a stackof stationary friction plates 25 and spacing plates 26 also mounted onthe shank I9. The member 24 has a flange 21.

The control lever I2 is rotatably mounted on the members 23 and 24between the bolthead I l! and the flange 21.

Between the parts I3 and I4 of the lever I2 a space 28 is provided whichhouses the plates '25 and a stack of moveable plates 29 and spacingplates 30.

The plates 25 are substantially circular and are separated from eachother adjacent to the shank I9 by the smaller spacing plates 25.

The plates 29 are elongated and rectangular and are separated from eachother by the smaller spacing plates 30.

The plates 29 and 30 are mounted in the space 28 on bolts 3I passingthrough holes in the part I4 of the lever I2, said bolts being held inposition by nuts 32. Shallow bores 33 are provided on the inside surfaceof the part I3 to receive bolt heads 34.

Alternatively the plates 29 and 30 may be nonrotatably mounted on asingle bolt 3|, e. g. one with a square shank.

The edges of the plates 29 remote from the bolts 3| are interleaved withthe discs 25 adjacent to the edges of the latter.

A trigger lever 35 is pivotally mounted between brackets 36 secured tothe part I3 of the lever I2 and carries a spur 3! and a pin 38. The spuris normally pressed against a pin 39 by means of a spring '40 located ina bore 4! in the lever I2, the outer end of the spring surrounding thepin 3B. The pin 39 is located in a hole in the part I3 and the pressurethereon is transferred to the interleaved parts of the plates 25 and 29.

The plates are made as thin as practicable so that, when pressedtogether, any tendency towards movement of one stack relative to theother is resisted by an invisible or scarcely visible undulation orcorrugation of the plates adjacent to the area of mutual engagement aswell as by friction.

To facilitate this distortion a small depression MA is formed on theinside of the part M of the lever I2 opposite the pin 39.

Normally therefore rotation of the lever 12 about the axis of the boltI! is prevented. To allow such rotation the pressure of the spur 31 onthe pin 39 is released by pressing an end 42 of the lever 35 towards anend 43 of the lever I2 against the pressure of the spring 40.

In the application of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the lever l2may be a brake lever pivotally connected through a tail piece 44 to anoperating rod 45.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, certain parts have the same referencenumerals as before. A bearing member 45 corresponding to 23 iscylindrical and flanged at one end and is stepped toward its other endwhere it has a square shank =4! housed in the bracket II. Anotherbearing member 48 is of flanged cylindrical external form and has a boreof square section by means of which it is non-rotatably mounted on theshank 41. The plates 25 and 26 are non-rotatably mounted on the shank 4!between the stepped part of the member 4 6 and the unflanged end of themember 48.

The plates 29 and 39 are mounted in the space between the parts I3 andI4 of the lever I2.

The member 45 is secured to the bracket II by a nut 49 on a screwthreaded extension of the member and has a cylindrical bore throughwhich passes an axle 55 having a screw threaded extension screwed into ahole in a bracket 5!. The axle 5|] is held in position in the bracket 5|by a nut 52 and the bracket is secured to the lover I 2 as by screws 53.

The other end of the axle 50 forms the shaft of a winding drum or thelike.

The lever i2 is rotatably mounted on the members 45 and 48 between theflanges thereof but is normall held against rotation by spring pressureforcing the spur 3! against the pin 39 and thence against the plates 25and 29.

Rotation of the axle 50, e. g. by means of the lever 35 acting as acrank, is possible when the pressure against the plates 25 and 29 hasbeen released, e. g. by pressing a crank handle 54 on the end of thelever 35 towards the lever I2.

Figs. 6, '7 and 8 show the application of the invention to an elbowjoint for an artificial arm.

55 is a bracket which is secured to or integral with a second bracket 56on the lower end of the upper arm.

A third bracket 51 is rotatably mounted on a bolt 58 secured in positionbetween the brackets 55 and 56. A stack of discs 59 (corresponding tothe discs 25) is secured to the bracket 51 between 51 and 55, e. g. by abolt 60 and is rotatably mounted on the bolt 58. An arcuate slot 60A isprovided in the underside of the bracket 56 to accommodate the head ofthe bolt 60. A stack of plates 6| (corresponding to the plates 29) issecured to the brackets 55 and 55 as by bolts 62. Tihe 3discs 59 and theplates (H are interleaved a 6 A cam 54 is mounted adjacent to the point63 on one end of a spindle 65 rotatably mounted in a bracket 55A whichis secured to the bracket 55 by the bolts 62. The spindle 65 has a thumbpiece 56 secured to its outer end.

By means of the thumb piece, the spindle and cam may be rotated so thatpressure can be ap plied to or released from the discs 59 and plates 6!to prevent or allow respectively rotation of the lawman hiacket relativeto the brackets 'id -andfifiiabout theaxis (Sf 111161001558.

I The bracket 57 has iintegra'l rwingsfil land 68 separated by alspacer169 having .a cylindrical bore. The upper end of a forearm Ill haswvingsin theiborefiofthe spacer. 59.

1A stack of :discs 3W lcorrespondingito therdiscs 25) is located on thebolt l3 and lisr prevented from rotating relatively tosthe'awingst'iland fili by a screw 55 passing through'tthe discs 1.4into *the wing 61. The wing :75! :is cutaway as shownrat mi to enable ittoclearltheiscrew :lfnduringirota- -*ticn about the axisrofrthebolta'fi.

ckstack o'iaplates ll'l (correspondingatotthe plates -29) :is secured tothe 'Willg ill thy lmeans 'ofcarcover plate 18 and :screws .19 passingthrough thercover :plateiand-the .plates :11 :into the iWiTlg H. llfhe:plates all .landtrthe discs "It rare interleaved at .80. mlspindle i8!.is rotatably mounted'rincbrackets ,82 secured to {or :Iintegral withthe :coverplate 2'58. @ne lend 10f the :zispindle carriesithumbrpieces-BS and the other carries a cam 8.4:adjacentitothe rpoint280. Byzmeans. oftthe :thumhpieces, thespim :dle sandccam may dierotated :so that :pressure ris applied to or released from the discs'l'l and plates illltotprevent .or iallowrespectively=rotation.of the.WiI'lgStTl and .12 relative to rthefiwings zfiil rand-:68 aboutatheaxis=of the :boltifi.

Referring to Figs. 9 and .:=lfi,:.the finger cornsprisesarotatahlyarticulated partsrorwbones .85, 86, $8.7 :anddil 'eachaof which ;-is :U:shaped inwtransverse section. Therhonesaresuccessively Ehingedrtogether by tpins E93 rand rL each passing lthrough -adjacent :ends ofadjacent :hones.

pins are secured imposition xbymu'tstSZ, d3, 94 rrespectively.

.Arstack .of plates :95 is mounted on the pin 1-89 and each plate has anextendedrpartdfi, ltheastack lbeingl'securedagainst-rotation:rclativetc-the bone 355 zby'ibeingucormected 130.32. depending leer-91 of thebone 85, e. g. bymears ofsalrivet llBlpassing through ithe extensions 96and a spacer 99 into the depending leg 91.

A stack of. plates ltllil is secured as by rivets lfil to theinside of adepending-leg [320i the bone 85.

A stack of plates 33 (corresponding .to the plates 95) .isinountednn thepin Stand is secured to a dependingleg Hit of the bone 8'! at [535.

Another stack of plates 183B (correspondingto 95 W33) is mounted on thepin 531i and is :secured to the-depcnding leg :ltilfl of thebone 8! atN18.

Another stack of :plates it) is non rotatably ==secured 't0"-a-dependingleg l l laof the bonelllfi at H-2. The -pairs of platesiiaanddild,lilaiandllfiil,

I06 and H8, are interleaved at points H3, H4, H5 respectively.

Two flexible containers H5 and II! for fluid under pressure are housedin the bones 85 and 88 respectively and are joined by a pipe MB. A plateH9 is slidably mounted on the pins 89 and 90 between the container H6and the plates Hill. The plate H9 has projections I20 and I2! adjacentto the points H3 and lid respectively. A lever I22 is pivoted on a pinI23 to the bone 38 and carries a spur i2 3 adjacent to the point H5 andits other end is disposed adjacent to the container Ill.

When the containers H6 and Ill are in a collapsed condition no pressureis applied at the points H3, H and H5 to the interleaved plates and freerelative rotation of adjacent bones can take place. The bones are thenmoved into posi tion, e. g. around an article to be moved. Pres- The 1.,sure fiuidilis then .supplied .to the .:contalners {M6 "and llll eag.fromsan armpit bulb. :EIEhel main- .lerslexpand, :andwthe projectionslinens and the 1 spur il 214 are :pressed .eae'ainst ztheiinterleavedaplates, thereby retainin .bonestiin their -requiiz .lpositions.

..=In ithe vforms 1 off the :inventionwshown .in .Figs. 7 6 .zto r10linclusiva-lthe various stacks, of; plateslare l-preferably providedwith spacers, su h as silfi van dihradjacenttorthe point of attachmen tor mounting of eachntack. .xl lorgconveniencelthesespacers :havelbeenomitted fromfligsgd'todfi.

."I11 :-all;forms 20f the inventiongdepressions similar toieigAandgforthe samepurposeaare provided :ziorc example :on athe.inside: surface pf the dependingleg dril (Of the drone -81 eat:thBtPQint A15.

J'I claim:

1. improved: means forllockin ,rclatively rotatable members in any.desired relative position, acoznprisinga stack-of:substantial y:parallemlat s secured to one member, .a second stackloflsub- -stantiallyparallel plates :secured to thetsecond :mcmher, :saidlstacks of ';platesbeing interleaved over a comparativel small area adjacent to .theiedgezcf $831311 stack, andimeanstforeapplyingpresssuretto1;or;removingrpressurefrom saidzinterleaved jar-ea to:m'cvent r01 wallow lrelative rotation ;ofsaid stacks of plates.

:2. rlmprovedrmeans forlloching a rccntrol lever .WhiCh"iS rotatable onalbracket -in any desired sposition' relative :to-saidbracket, said:control,.-lev,er rinsing: afotatazbly -mounted conra spindle and havingcan internal cavity, and said spindle ibein nonrotatably secured to saidbracket, .said locking :means lcomprising :a :stack; of substantiallyyparalicl ;discsnon.rotatably and centrally {secured ion said.;spind1ewand within (said -,cavity, :a lstack 10f substantially parallelplated-secured ito s-aid .l ver within said cavity at a point ou side"the :periphery :of said l-discs, the free edges 1.01 said lplates @beininterleaved with the redges 10f said :discs it over acomparativelyrsmall: area land means .for applying :"pressure -.to orlremoving pressure iirQm said :interleaved (area 1130 prevent or :allow:rel-ativeaiotationof saidstaclrs.

. Improved docking lmeans .lasain claim 2, the

rinner: .suriace lDf wthe'wvall-zofwsaid -.cavit adjacent rto saidinterleaved area and on. the side :of said (plates and r discs: remotefrom the; cintrat which rprcssure may be applied 1170 :said 13.1193having a slightfdepressionfiormed therein.

improved flocking rmeans as in claim 2,:said.zmeansrforapplyingqpressurelto or removin preszsure Efrem :sai'drinterleavejd carea comp-rising a ltlEigjBTl'lfiVfiY pivotall-yrcmountedon thezoutside lof csaid :ccntrol :lever, a 3311111" on {one lend rofisaid trigger :IBVBI, 1. a in ilocated in ;a hole in ssa'id controllever, said spur bearing on the outer end of said pin and the inner endof said pin bearing on said interleaved area and means normally forcingsaid spur against said pin and said pin against said interleaved area.

5. An improved joint for an artificial limb comprising a first bracket,an axle secured to said first bracket, a second bracket rotatablymounted on said axle, a stack of substantially parallel discs secured tosaid second bracket and rotatably mounted on said axle, a stack ofsubstantially parallel plates secured to said first bracket, said stacksbeing interleaved over a comparatively small area adjacent to the edgeof each stack, an axle secured to said second bracket and perpendicularor otherwise inclined to said first axle, a third bracket rotatablymounted on said second axle, a stack of substantially parallel discssecured to said second bracket and mounted on said second axle, a stackof substantially parallel plates secured to said third bracket, saidstacks being interleaved over a comparatively small area adjacent to theedge of each stack and means for applying pressure to or removingpressure from either or both of said interleaved areas to prevent orallow relative rotation of said interleaved stacks, said first and thirdbrackets being adapted to be secured to the respective parts of anartificial limb.

6. An improved joint as in claim including a slight depression on thesurface of said first bracket adjacent to said first interleaved areaand on the side of said discs and plates remote from said means forapplying pressure to said interleaved area and a slight depression onthe surface of said third bracket adjacent to said second interleavedarea and on the side of said discs and plates remote from said means forapplying pressure to said interleaved area.

7. An improved joint as in claim 5, said means for applying or removingpressure comprising a cam and a lever.

8. An improved artificial finger comprising a multiplicity of rotatablyarticulated parts or bones and means as in claim 1 for locking saidparts in any desired relative position.

9. An improved artificial finger comprising four parts or bones, eachsaid bone being U shaped and in transverse section, each pair of bonesbeing rotatably connected by a pin passing through adjacent ends of saidbones, a first stack of substantially parallel and disc shaped platessecured to the first or free bone and mounted on the first of said pins,a second stack of discs secured to the third of said bones and mountedon the second of said pins, a third stack of discs secured to said thirdbone and mounted on the third of said pins, a fourth stack of platessecured to the second of said bones, said fourth stack being interleavedwith said first and second stacks respectively over comparatively smallareas adjacent to the edge of each stack, a fifth stack of platessecured to the fourth of said bones, said fifth stack being interleavedwith said third stack over a comparatively small area adjacent to theedge of each stack and means for applying pressure to or removingpressure from one or more of said interleaved areas to prevent or allowrelative rotation of said interleaved stacks.

10. An improved artificial finger as in claim 9, including slightdepressions on the surface of said second bone adjacent to said firstand second interleaved areas respectively and on ,the side of saidfourth stack remote from said means for applying pressure to saidinterleaved areas and a slight depression on the surface of said thirdbone adjacent to said third interleaved area and on the side of saidthird stack remote from said means for applying pressure to saidinterleaved area.

11. An improved artificial finger as in claim 9 including means forapplying pressure to or removing pressure from all of said interleavedareas simultaneously.

12. An improved artificial finger as in claim 10, said means forapplying pressure being actuated by fluid under pressure.

13. Improved locking means as in claim 3, said means for applyingpressure to or removing pressure from said interleaved area comprising atrigger lever pivotally mounted on the outside of said control lever, aspur on one end of said trigger lever, a pin located in a hole in saidcontrol lever, said spur bearing on the outer end of said pin and theinner end of said pin bearing on said interleaved area and meansnormally forcing said spur against said pin and said pin against saidinterleaved area.

14. An improved joint as in claim 6, said means for applying or removingpressure comprising a cam and a lever.

15. An improved artificial finger as in claim 11 including means forapplying pressure to or removing pressure from all of said interleavedareas simultaneously.

16. An improved artificial finger as in claim 10, said means forapplying pressure being actuated by fluid under pressure.

17. An improved artificial finger as in claim 10, said means forapplying pressure being actuated by fluid under pressure.

18. An improved artificial finger as in claim 11, said means forapplying pressure being actuated by fluid under pressure.

19. An improved artificial finger as in claim 12, said means forapplying pressure being actuated by fluid under pressure.

H. E. JEFFERY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 507,831 Mundy Oct. 31, 18931,088,595 Larkin Feb. 24, 1914 1,253,823 Hobbs Jan. 15, 1918 1,507,680Pecorell et al. Sept. 9, 1924 2,091,919 Freeborn Aug. 31, 1937 2,378,688Codlin June 19, 1945

